Run For Cover
by Asher Monroe
Summary: [Updated Chap Three!] It's been a month since Alec was kidnapped and tortured by vampires. A month since starting a new and exciting relationship with Magnus Bane and things are actually going pretty well, considering all they have to deal with. Enter Camille Belcourt. [Part Two of the Battle Scars Series]
1. Chapter One

**A/N: **PLEASE be advised this is the **SECOND** part in a series called **Battle Scars**; the first being _Don't Go Wandering Off_. You should read that one first to get the full effect. I wanted this to be longer however I have decided to post as in with the hopes that it'll help me get over my block. Anyway enjoy!

Run For Cover

Chapter One

Life was interesting.

For the first time in a long time life was interesting and different which probably sounded stupid coming from someone who hunted demons, but it was the truth. Alec Lightwood had always considered his life to be fairly boring depending on the way you looked at it. A mundane—like Clary—would naturally assume it was riveting because of the danger aspect, but if it was something you'd been doing for as long as you could remember, it was almost just like any other job. He and his fellow Shadowhunters got dressed, went out and protected other little mundanes from things that went bump in the night. It was kind of simple, really.

And then he'd been kidnapped by vampires and saved by a warlock…and _everything_ had changed. _He_ changed. Whether it was for better or worse was still up in the air however. All he knew was that he was having fun—he was doing something besides worrying about everyone else. Well…the worrying was still very much there it was just now he had someone to coddle him a little when it got to be too much.

Alec had never thought himself in need of coddling. Of course to him coddling meant implying that he wasn't strong enough or tough enough to do what he had been born to do. To Magnus it meant lounging in bed all night eating pizza and watching movies with his phone turned off. The closeness was something he'd never thought he'd needed, or would have readily accepted. In his mind it had always been Jace and if not Jace, then, not anyone. Magnus had truly taken him by surprise and yet he was happy.

Things weren't completely fine though. He still had nightmares sometimes about what the vampires had done to him. He still braced himself if he heard footsteps behind him down a dark street or felt all the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. His wounds were healed thanks to his treatments from Magnus, but the emotional and mental ones had yet to fade away. The good part however was that he could work out that frustration in sparring sessions with either Jace or Magnus.

He didn't shy away from touches that weren't Magnus' anymore either, well not really. Cold hands still caused a reaction he rather they didn't but he was taking it all in stride.

Stretched out on his bed and staring up at the ceiling, he glanced to the book he was supposed to be reading. The _Institute_ was empty for a change with Isabelle out with Simon and Jace out teaching Clary how to hunt. He wasn't sure where Hodge was—they'd been seeing less and less of him since the incident with the demons. By unsaid actions he got the distinct impression his sister _liked_ Simon or at least liked hanging out with him. Simon…the full only fledged vampire that he could be around—now—without immediately wanting to kill him. He was still new to the whole drinking blood thing so Isabelle often volunteered to go with him to make sure he didn't hurt anyone. Alec didn't mind Simon but they kept their distance in a room if it could be helped. They were civil, friendly even, but since the almost staking Simon was wary.

As he should be.

Clary and Jace were in a weird sort of limbo over the whole possibly being related thing. There was obviously an attraction there but neither seemed willing to push _that_ boundary just in case Valentine was telling the truth. But they could hang out without it being weird—so they said, no one really believed them—and there were things Clary needed to learn if she insisted on being one of them.

Like how to fight in an effective manner. Getting lucky with runes that just popped into her brain wouldn't always save her.

Anyway with everyone having plans he'd decided to have a quiet night in. Yet here he was already bored and thinking about going out. If he tried hard enough he could probably catch up with Jace; not like his friend would turn him away if he wanted to join in. He wasn't sure if he liked Clary or wished she would go back to where she came from, but he did support her knowing how to defend herself. And…well she had been very nice to him during his darker days. There was just some lingering _jealously_ over the Jace situation that hadn't disappeared yet.

He was confident that it would leave though. Now that he had Magnus he didn't think about Jace i_n that way_ anymore. Maybe once in a while he'd catch himself day dreaming but almost immediately ice blue eyes would bleed to black and he'd be blushing as a sweet memory overtook him.

Alec wasn't sure if his friends knew all of the gritty details when it came to Magnus. They knew he liked him and that the feeling was mutual but he tried to play it cool with the PDA. Naturally they wouldn't tell anyone but he was still kind of nervous about his parents or the Clave finding out. More like deathly terrified while not being scared enough to _actually_ give Magnus up.

_It's strange how that works out_.

He just hoped he never had to choose.

Yawning, he closed his eyes and was near to dozing off when a door opened and closed from downstairs. His big blue eyes went to the clock on his bedroom wall and he frowned, there was no way any of them were done for the night. It wasn't even ten pm. Very slowly he got up and made his way into the hallway that appeared to go on forever, glancing up as one of the lanterns flickered.

"Hello?" He called out. "Hodge? Is anyone there?" Wetting his lips, he thought about getting a weapon but ultimately decided he didn't need one. Who or what would be dumb enough to break into the _home_ of the Shadowhunters?

Putting one bare foot in front of the other, Alec slowly walked until he came to Jace's room and peeped inside. It was just as he'd left it and vacant. He crept passed all of the ornate paintings and statues of smiling Reapers, moving down a flight of stone stairs until he could see through the glass doors connecting the west wing. The echo of his own footsteps un-nerved him a little, as did the dimly lit corridor shrouded on each side by the night sky through large windows.

Shaking his head, he made a beeline back towards his room and his weapons. Just as he rounded a corner he was suddenly flung against the wall, hitting it with a little _oof._ Across from him he could see his own reflection in a gilded framed mirror and he struggled to move but _something_ was holding him in place; an invisible force he couldn't see.

Gritting his teeth, he tried to lift his hand and failed. "Who's there? Show yourself right now!"

Silence.

Alec attempted to move again—to pry himself away from the dark paneling—when he felt a phantom touch along the side of his face. He went still, chest heaving and eyes darting around from side to side. He supposed it was possible for the _Institute_ to be haunted though he'd never heard of it before. Still considering the things he _did_ know of it didn't sound that far-fetched.

"Hello?" He said, softer this time. "I—I know someone is there. I felt you just now. Didn't I?"

As if to reward him for being right, the invisible entity began to slowly unbutton his charcoal colored shirt button by tiny button. Alec blinked and watched as they popped a loose until the two sides hung open, barely swaying a little before they were pushed aside and his pale chest was exposed. A hand—because it _felt_ like a hand even if he couldn't see it—slid down the side of his neck along his _Deflect_ rune, down to his nipples. Concealed fingers pinched and rubbed until they were hard as pebbles, leaving Alec gasping and confused and trying to inch away.

But it was clear he wasn't going anywhere; his feet were like tree trunks rooted to the floor.

A flush he didn't ask for crept up the side of his throat and into his face. He could feel the heat of it and he closed his eyes, nails digging into the wood. He wanted to escape but he didn't know how and he had no weapons, not that he could have used them anyway. What if someone came home and found him like this? Being molested in the hallway by someone they couldn't see? They would probably just think he'd been touching himself or something.

The very idea made him want the floor to swallow him whole. "Please. If—if there is something you want you have to show yourself. You have to tell me. I can't—I can't help you like _this."_

He thought he heard a chuckle, something dark and dangerous by his ear. But when he opened his eyes all he saw was himself, blushing and biting his bottom lip as his jeans unbuttoned themselves and the zipper slid down with a mind of its own. _Something_ cupped him through his boxer-briefs and he shuddered, started with alarm as the squeezing gently egged him on into an erection, the tip causing a damp spot to the blue material. When he was straining against the waistband of his underwear, they were pulled down just enough to let his cock bounce free. The cold air had him hissing…until something hotter had him moaning—a wet closed palm gliding up and down his stiff shaft.

Alec couldn't help it; he wanted to thrust into the motion but was denied. All he could do was watch as an invisible thumb smeared pre come across the head of his dick before stroking the vein down along the side. What he guessed was an index finger tripped lower, past his testicles to brush a sensitive spot that had him crying out in pleasure.

"Magnus." He whimpered. "Ma—Magnus."

The air in front of him shimmered and wiggled until it wasn't air at all, but a tall handsome warlock with bright yellow eyes and a wicked smirk. "I love it when you say my name like that."

Alec chuckled breathlessly. "Are you going to—to let me move now?"

Magnus looked him over slowly, like he wanted to eat him alive. "Maybe if you ask nicely."

Alec whined low in his throat. These games were going to be the death of him one day but man, what a way to go. "Pl—please let me move."

The warlock arched a brow. "No. Say it like I taught you to, angel."

Alec's blush deepened and he had to look way otherwise he would never conjure up the nerve. "Please. Please let me fuck your fist…"

And just like that he could _move_ so he launched himself at his boyfriend, wrapping his arms around Magnus' neck and kissing him passionately. Magnus pressed him to the wall and nibbled at his full lips, slicking his tongue along the bottom before sliding it past. Alec hummed blissfully and tangled a hand in Magnus' silky black hair, giving a little tug as he silently asked for more. As always Magnus was happy to give him whatever he wanted.

Magnus dropped to his knees in one long fluid slither and swallowed him down before he could blink. Alec's head hit the wall behind him with a loud crack but he could hardly feel the pain when Magnus was sucking at the very tip of his cock, tonguing the slit over and over again, forcing harsh puffs of air from between his kiss swollen lips. He was in the middle of a hallway. He was in the _middle of a hallway_ in the freaking _Institute_ getting an amazing blow job and anyone could come around the corner and see.

See Magnus on his knees, head bobbing back and forth as he let Alec's cock slip slide over his tongue.

See _him_ moaning like a three dollar whore, begging Magnus to make him come so hard that he saw stars.

See just one of the utterly debauched things he let the warlock do to him when they were alone.

Alec's legs began to shake the closer he got to orgasm, the muscles in his stomach contracting with each breath he struggled to take. There was always a draft in these old halls but sweat dotted his hairline; one lone drop sliding a tickling path down the side of his face. His bright blue eyes wanted to close so that he could bask in the pleasure building inside him, but he could not for the life of him look away from the mirror. Couldn't block out the wet filthy sounds of Magnus sucking him so expertly that he wasn't sure it wasn't bought and paid for.

Magnus touched him like the world was trying to keep them a part. Like grubby hands had been holding him back the entire time until that blessed moment he was able to break free and _just…have him._ Alec wouldn't lie—nothing in his life made him feel as special as he did when Magnus put his hands on him.

He was so busy watching their reflections that his orgasm took him by surprise, as did the slick finger rubbing between his cheeks. He shouted; hips pushing forward against his will, sending him so deep into Magnus' mouth that he was vaguely afraid he would choke him. But Magnus just moaned—and shit, fuck if _that_ didn't feel fucking aces—and swallowed around him.

Alec's entire body lit up like Times Square and he just rode the feeling that was being dragged out of him, chanting Magnus' name over and over again until it started to sound like nonsense to his own ears. He hoped it always felt _this_ good. He hoped years from now it still left him a quivering mass of raw nerves and gibberish.

When the overwhelming sensations finally started to curb themselves, when Magnus rolled his tongue one last time so that he wouldn't miss a single drop, Alec mewled and tried to remain upright.

It was sort of an embarrassing challenge.

Magnus stood and fixed his jeans, tucking him back into his underwear. "You look so adorably fucked out right now."

Alec attempted to glare but failed. "You've got a little something…" He reached up and swiped at the corner of Magnus' mouth, lashes fluttering when Magnus caught his finger between his soft lips. "Got it."

Magnus laughed. "Come on. Let's go to your room before someone sees us. Wouldn't want to scandalize your poor friends."

The Shadowhunter wanted to point out that had they witnessed what was happening earlier it would have been too late, but he reframed. Instead he took Magnus' hand and pulled him into his bedroom, shutting the door behind them. Fooling around at the _Institute_ wasn't normal for them so when they got a chance to do it, they usually went for it. There was just something naughty about it—letting his warlock boyfriend defile him in these hallowed halls.

Of course his relationship with Magnus was still very much a secret from the outside world. He realized he was a coward but he wasn't ready for the heavy hitters in his life to know the truth about him yet. That he was gay and that contrary to what they believed, it wasn't unnatural at all. In fact being with Magnus was the most Inatural/I thing in the world. And being gay did not deter him from doing his job at all. In fact he liked to think that he did it better because unfortunately now he had something to prove. That being a homosexual didn't automatically translate into weak or whatever.

Anyway for his part Magnus didn't care if they were hiding. He knew it wasn't because Alec was ashamed of him—Alec made sure to tell him every chance he got that he would be proud to tell anyone who would listen when the time was right. He just didn't know when that would be.

Sighing, he leaned back against the door and watched as Magnus turned in a slow circle to face him. He smiled rather seductively and Alec bit his bottom lip, ducking his head. He wondered when he would stop feeling like a blushing virgin but he supposed that wouldn't happen until he actually _wasn't_ a virgin anymore. They hadn't taken that step yet and honestly he wasn't sure if he was happy about it or troubled. It was obvious that Magnus wanted him but he never pushed for more, and Alec couldn't help but wonder why. It was something he should probably talk about but he didn't know where to start.

Magnus was beyond experienced due to his age and Alec clearly wasn't. He felt he knew the mechanics of sex but he'd never watched porn—though he kinda wanted to—and honestly he was sort of vanilla when it came to the subject. There were things he let Magnus do to him that left him tongue tied, but if he were forced at gun point to mention them he'd probably be shot in the head. Being in the moment and begging someone to touch you was vastly difference when the chemicals receded and you were yourself again.

"You okay?" Magnus asked, cupping his cheeks with his soft large hands.

Alec nodded slowly. "Yeah. Just over thinking as you would say." He reached for Magnus' belt. "But we can talk about that later."

Magnus caught his wrist and gave his palm a kiss. "No, tell me what's wrong. If this is about earlier we don't have to play games anymore if you don't like them."

Alec shook his head quickly. "No. No I—I like them I just… I guess I just wonder when we'll do more than play games."

Magnus appeared amused. "You mean sex? You want to know when we'll have sex."

_Well when you say it that way_… "It's stupid."

His boyfriend shrugged. "I don't think it's stupid at all. To be perfectly honest with you I've thought about it; how could I not when you're as gorgeous as you are. But I figure it's something that will happen when you're ready."

Alec narrowed his brows at him. "Why when _I'm_ ready?"

Magnus grinned in that way he did when he found him totally adorable. "Because between the two of us, only one of us has ever _had_ sex before. That means the one who hasn't gets to say when we do." He pressed a finger to Alec's lips to silence him. "But he can only say it when he's ready and we both know you're not ready yet. Which is fine because I don't mind waiting until you are even if it's months from now."

And that was one of the many reasons being with Magnus was so easy. He wasn't at all like you'd expect a warlock to be, at least not until the situation called for it. "Okay. Fair enough."

Magnus winked and tilted up his chin, smoothing a thumb across his bottom lip. "Good boy. For the record? It'll be the best night of your life."

Alec didn't doubt it one bit. "I—I should—do you want me to…" He gestured to the noticeable bulge in Magnus' slacks.

Chuckling, Magnus pulled him over to the bed and up onto it. He stripped out of his jacket and tossed it into a chair before slipping his shirt over his head. "I want you to do whatever you want to do. However if you're having trouble thinking of something I could make a suggestion." When Alec eyed him speculatively, Magnus kissed his nose. "You are too young to look so suspicious all the time."

Alec picked at his bedspread. "Shadowhunters are taught to be suspicious so that we don't miss a demon possessing a human."

Sometimes he felt weird talking about demons considering Magnus was half demon or something like that and demons were generally evil. Not that Magnus thought of himself as a demon; he very clearly called himself a warlock most of the time and could pass for normal even with the makeup and nail polish. It was just that—well this was Alec's first relationship ever and he often felt like ever step was a misstep. That he wasn't cool enough to be dating someone so amazing. That he was holding Magnus back with his stupid rule of staying hidden.

Someone like Magnus deserved to always be in the light, not secreted away out of fear due to the opinions of others.

_I wonder if I will ever be brave enough to come out_?

Magnus shifted so that his legs dangled off the side of the bed. "You've been very contemplative lately. Why do I get the feeling there is more going on inside that pretty head of yours than you are telling me…"

_Great and now I have ruined the mood_. "I'm sorry."

Magnus shook his head. "Baby you don't have to apologize for thinking. I just wish you'd talk to me. Maybe I can help."

In all honestly Alec felt silly for needing it but he couldn't stop himself from falling against Magnus' side, seeking the warm comfort of his too hot skin. Magnus never rejected him however. On the contrary he rearranged them on the bed and stretched out, his fingers raking deep through Alec's dark hair. He was still hard but it was like that didn't matter anymore and it made Alec feel an odd mixture of cherished and upset.

So he decided to fib a little to give his boyfriend a bit of closure. "I'm okay, really. Things are just changing around here and when I think about them—I don't know it's strange. Jace and Isabelle spend a lot of time with Clary and Simon and that's cool and all, but it was just us for such a long time that it's an adjustment."

Magnus rolled onto his side so that they were facing each other. "You guys still hunt together though, right?"

Alec smiled at him. "We do. I'm not saying I hate the way things are going because I wouldn't change meeting you for anything; I guess I'm just surprised. For years all we did was hunt and keep mundanes safe. Now Jace has a maybe half sister, Isabelle's teaching a vampire how to survive without drinking from people and I'm—heh—I'm dating a Downworlder. Not how I thought this year was going to go."

"Ah. I get it now." Magnus said, voice laced with amusement. "Well for what it's worth I didn't think I would be spending this year with one of the most gorgeous men I've ever laid eyes on either. I consider it a very happy turn of events though. I think if we could predict the future we'd never take any chances on anything."

"So that's not one of your warlock powers?" Alec teased. He was already feeling better.

"I suppose it could be. I tend to let things run their course. Knowing everything can be dangerous." Pause. "I wouldn't abuse that type of thing but others would. They would want me to."

"I'd never let anyone make you do something you didn't want to do." The very thought made Alec frown deeply and grab Magnus' hand. "I'd protect you."

It sounded a little corny but Magnus never took his over the top declarations that way. They both knew he was capable of keeping himself safe and probably everyone else he cared about, but Magnus melted whenever Alec showed concern for him. To be honest it made Alec a little sad—had no one else ever thought enough of Magnus to risk their life for him? He already knew he'd do it in a heartbeat.

The warlock smiled softly. "I know. I know you would every time I look into those beautiful eyes. You're a protector." Reaching forward, he dragged his knuckles down the side of Alec's cheek. "You taking care of everyone else is one of the reasons why I wanna take care of you."

Alec preened a little, he couldn't help it. "We make a pretty good team."

Magnus tilted his head to the side. "We _really_ do. What say we get dressed and go kill some bad guys?"

Alec blinked. "What? I—I didn't meant I wanted to—"

Magnus snorted. "I know that, angel. But you're right we do make a good team and we could be out there kicking ass. I liked watching you kill those vampires. Your ass looked amazing while you were doing it."

The Shadowhunter scoffed. "Let me get this straight. You want to go demon hunting with me? I thought you didn't like to get involved."

"It's different with demons. I don't party with demons." Magnus wiggled his brows. "So, do you wanna go out or not?"

Nibbling on his bottom lip, Alec got the feeling Magnus was once again doing something for his benefit and while he hated feeling like he was being selfish, he couldn't deny the fact that he _did_ want to go hunting with his boyfriend. As far as date night activities went it wasn't dinner and a movie but their lives would never be that simple. Besides he would be lying if he did he didn't like seeing Magnus in action as well.

"Let's do it." Alec grinned.


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

The subway was a hustle of human activity with people going and coming or just standing around talking on their cell phones. Magnus found humans to be somewhat fascinating in that they had a unique ability to ignore the strange and unusual. It was true they couldn't see Shadowhunters unless they _wanted_ to be seen but he knew for a fact some glimpsed things yet told themselves otherwise. One time he watched a young man see what was clearly a demon wearing someone else's face and yet write it off as a trick of the light. It was amusing and kind of sad. He couldn't imagine living in a world and not knowing everything about it.

Of course he understood why mortals looked the other way as it were. They had their movies where monsters could be easily defeated in sixty minutes. Where evil never really won because that was just how it was. They wouldn't be able to sleep at night if they realized that wasn't the case, not really. If they realized sometimes the good ones lost because they just weren't strong enough.

He could definitely see them having problems knowing they were just toys to things stronger and more vicious.

But people had upsides too. They were responsible for most of the stuff he enjoyed like hip hop music and great Chinese food. And they tended to never give up, not even when the odds were heavily stacked against them. He respected them for that.

Leaning against the wall and hidden from anything not magical, he watched as Alec weaved seamlessly between bodies that felt him but couldn't see him. He was checking faces for anything weird; white eyes, fangs or those brief flashes behind the skin when a demon was having trouble holding itself in. In this instance he was determined with his mind on the mission; you'd never guess just a month ago he was hanging on by a frayed thread.

Well unless you knew him. Though Magnus had a feeling not even his closest kin knew how bad it had honestly gotten. He would want to protect them from that madness.

Some people would take offence to being the one _burdened_ but Magnus got that wasn't the case at all. Alec had turned to him because he realized he could and having that trust in such a short amount of time was something delicate and precious. Something Magnus would hold close and take care of for as long as he could.

Coming to a stop in the midst of the crowd, Alec touched the hilt of his knife and Magnus had the sudden craving to be closer to him so he went with it. He stepped up behind the Shadowhunter, creating an odd barrier around him that people probably wondered why they couldn't penetrate, why the space was vacant but full, and slid his hands down his bare arms. Alec startled minutely but calmed seconds later, not even having to look back to know what was going on.

Magnus didn't exactly think of himself as an overly sexual creature but Alec tended to bring it out in him. And maybe it was the thrill of doing something in public but knowing there was no way they could be caught. Either way he found himself biting Alec's earlobe, smiling when he shivered lightly.

"Really?" Alec whispered playfully. "In the middle of all these people?"

"They can't see us." Magnus reminded him. "And it's your own fault for being so irresistible. I have a hard time keeping my hands off you."

Alec rolled his eyes playfully but didn't push him away. "Quiet. I'm looking for demons."

Magnus bit him again. "You found one. Technically."

Snorting, Alec turned his head to give him a quick kiss before he was zeroing in on a woman that looked less than sane. "Found another too." Without waiting for a reply he moved to be closer to her.

_Hopefully it won't start anything here._

Magnus hated the thought of innocents being hurt in the middle of their war.

The train was going to be on time, he could already hear it roaring down the track towards the terminal. Alec was standing a few feet away from the woman in a white dress, the ends dirty from dragging the ground. She wasn't making eye contact with anyone but she was twitching, especially her fingers. The few people brave enough to stand close to her so that they could get a good seat on the train were pretending everything was fine. Of course to them it could have been; someone tweaking wasn't the oddest thing to see in the subway when at any moment a homeless man could run through naked. Still Magnus knew she was possessed just like Alec did but for perhaps different reasons.

He could see the darkness surrounding her, the utter lack of light in her aura. Even fucked up serial killers had a spark of light inside of them maybe left over from being an infant or something. But demons didn't. Demons were completely black—they were _void._ Once they took someone over they hollowed out everything they used to be, squeezing their soul until it was either gone or so twisted it was unrecognizable. That's why no one survived being possessed.

There was nothing left.

This particular demon reeked of not only an unholy stench but bile that no one but him seemed to notice. More than once he'd wondered if he was more in tune to demons because he was half of one. If his tiny speck of humanity was the only thing keeping him from turning out like them; dead behind the eyes ready to fuck things up because hey, why not? But then again it wasn't like people had been the perfect role models or treated him nice to keep him on the straight and narrow. Well not before he was orphaned.

Magnus didn't like hunting in general but it was becoming clear that he was willing to do anything for Alec if he felt it was what he needed. And going out with someone who could snap their fingers and cause chaos was a wonderful way to ease him back into the lifestyle. Not that he hadn't been out since being kidnapped because he had, naturally. He was dedicated to getting back onto the horse and appeared to be doing okay, but Alec had different reactions to hunting with his family and friends. It was more about protecting them than regaining any confidence in his abilities. With Magnus he could fight and refine himself, knowing that if he got in too deep he would be helped, not rescued.

Alec was frowning and he looked rather adorable; his face partially visible from underneath his dark hood. The overhead lights cast an ethereal glow along his pale skin and made his bright blue eyes shine like two burning stars. He was just so incredibly gorgeous and the type of man he thought had long since died out. The completely selfless kind that would throw himself into danger even for someone he didn't exactly like. The kind that honestly had no idea about his own self worth. It was times like this—just watching him—that Magnus wondered how their whole relationship had came to be. The details were there but sometimes they just didn't make sense to him.

There was a loud screeching sound as the train came barreling around a bend before easing to a stop in front of the gritty platform. People rushed inside the second the doors open as did the demon, dragging her filthy slippers over the threshold. Alec squared his shoulders and followed her so Magnus did the same, grabbing onto a pole as the doors closed and the car was shooting forward with a lurch.

Alec cracked his knuckles and glanced around taking in the layout. He calculated the exits and how many people were inside, whether any would get hurt if he engaged right now. However the decision was taken out of his hands when the woman threw her head back and shrieked before punching her fist through the metal wall. She made a sizable hole before turning on the passengers, pulling the man closest to her off balance as she tried to stick his head through the hole she'd made. People started screaming and the man flailed, pushing at her chest and kicking at her legs to no avail.

"Hey!" Alec shouted to get her attention and it did. "You don't want him…unless you're too scared to take me on."

The demon smiled with the woman's face, stretching her lips back so far the corners touched her ears. She tossed the stranger she was holding away like a discarded piece of paper and lunged for Alec, nails like talons. He was too quick for her though. He jerked to the side and kicked her in the head before taking off running towards the back of the train car; shoving bodies out of his way so that he could kick open the back door and throw himself out onto the rocky track.

He landed hard and the train kept going with the demon leaping out after him. Magnus was out seconds later, his dark cloak flapping wildly behind him. The corridor itself was dimly lit with just enough light for the work men whose job it was to make sure the tracks were clear and check the wiring. Magnus could see fine so he watched as Alec rolled onto his back and launched himself into a crouching position, yanking his daggers out of their holsters.

Darting quickly into the shadows before he was noticed, Magnus smiled. If things went well this should be an easy kill for Alec.

The Shadowhunter slowly stood and wet his lips. "Well?"

It cackled and the neck started to elongate as well as the arms and legs. It went from being a petite woman to a spindly looking gray creature with sharp curved claws and piercing fangs. Most of the blonde hair was still there sticking to a disfigured skull in thick clumps, the white dress tight in some places and extremely loose in the others. The eyes were the worst part of all however. Bright red and bulbous like they were being inflated from the inside and pushed outward.

_Kahad…and lower level_, Magnus thought idly.

Because the arms were so long they could lash out and snap back like rubber bands, the hands swiping at Alec's face and upper body. He did a good job of ducking and blocking the blows, bringing the blade of his knife down in an arcing S shape that sliced off the demon's left hand. It roared as black liquid squirted out—the smell even worse than before. Next it was charging Alec at full speed and he ran forward towards the wall, using the momentum to carry him up the side until he could curve backwards over its head in an impressive looking flip.

The demon turned quicker than expected though and its remaining claws slashed three deep gashes across Alec's bicep. He groaned in pain but mostly ignored them, tightening his fingers on his weapons. Strands of dark hair had fallen into his face, a few sticking to his sweaty forehead. He jerked back from another attempted cut as the claws whistled through the air, going for his eyes. A gangly leg shot out and Alec crashed to the ground with a low grunt, rolling to the side so that he wasn't stomped in the chest.

His right foot kicked out and hit the Kahad in the stomach, causing it to double over. He then slammed his knife into its sternum and yanked down as hard as he could. The creature _howled_ and guts hit the ground with a wet splat almost falling all over Alec who'd scrambled out of the way. It fell back onto the tracks with its legs up in the air like a turtle and flopped mindlessly from side to side, slowly melting into inky black sludge until nothing but a smoky heap was left.

Alec chuckled and panted for breath, re-sheathing his blades. "Thanks for the help."

Magnus grinned. "You had it covered. I'm just here to…observe your form."

Alec arched a brow. "And what did you think?"

Magnus tilted his head to the side. "Next time do it shirtless and wet."

Laughing, Alec ran his fingers through his hair and that of course did nothing to dispel how beautiful he was. "I'll keep that in mind." He poked at his arm with a hiss, smiling when Magnus cupped it, concerned. "It's okay. No poison or anything."

"I can heal you if you wish." The warlock replied.

"No it's okay I'll just use the steele when I get home." He shrugged. "No need to use your power when you don't have to. I've had worse as you know."

_That I do know._ "Yes but I don't like to see you suffering."

Touched, Alec blushed and lifted up for a kiss which he gladly received. His hands came to rest on Magnus' waist as the warlock gave his lips kittenish licks before Alec let him in, sighing happily. For a few moments they both lost themselves in the kiss; Alec pulling Magnus closer and slotting their bodies together perfectly. Magnus was thinking of slipping a thigh between his legs when the ground began to rumble violently, traveling up the walls to make the lights shake and sway.

A new subway car was coming.

The bright light on the front washed over them in no time at all and Magnus tumbled back taking Alec with him. He felt the electricity from the tracks kiss the soles of his boots before he was crashing to the marble floors of the inside of the _Institute,_ coughing as the air was knocked out of his lungs. Or perhaps because Alec had landed on top of him when coming through the portal but it was better than letting him get splattered all over the tunnel walls.

The Shadowhunter looked a little dazed and confused, realizing slowly that they had changed locations. "Are you alright?"

Magnus nodded. "I could make portals with my eyes closed. Sorry there was no time for a heads up."

Alec blinked. "No I—it's okay. I just—"

"I found the source of the noise! It's not burglars after all." Jace was grinning broadly as he bounded down the stairs. "Unless there is something Alec hasn't told us yet."

Alec made an embarrassed noise and scrambled off of Magnus as fast as he could, cheeks red as fire. "We—there was a demon and Magnus had to create a portal to get us away safely." Jerking, he reached out a hand to help the warlock up.

Amused, Magnus took it and let himself be helped to his feet. "Right. What he said."

By now Isabelle, Clary and Simon were making their way into the foyer to join them. They all had various expressions of delight though Simon was lingering off to the side.

Jace smirked. "Ah. Well I'm glad you're okay." Pause. "Didn't take you for a demon hunter, Magnus."

Magnus removed his hood. "I just went to keep Alec company. But since you guys are home I suppose I should be leaving. I I_do_/I have a party to go to." The urge to kiss Alec goodbye burned in his chest but he knew it couldn't be done, not in front of his friends. So instead he bowed his head while keeping eye contact it the Shadowhunter. "Goodnight Alec. Everyone."

He didn't miss the devious smiles Isabelle and Jace shared as he left.

* * *

Several seconds of silence passed in which Alec had to force himself not to go after Magnus and claim the goodnight kiss he was so rightfully owed. His knuckles were turning white from how hard a fist he was making so he took a deep breath, turning to snort at the look his friends were giving him. He had to play things cool however though he suspected he wasn't fooling them at all. Yet he knew they wouldn't say anything until he did—well nothing _blunt_ anyway.

"You're bleeding." Isabelle gestured. "I'm surprised Magnus didn't heal you."

Her voice was laced with a teasing tone but he just took out his steele. "I told him I would use this so he could save power. No need to get healed for every scratch."

Jace hummed. "Well if he was anything fighting a demon like he was with the vampires, you were in very good hands."

Alec squinted at him; he just knew Jace was being trifling but not in a mean spirited way. So he decided to change the subject. "How was training?"

"I'm out of shape." Clary spoke up. "And not very strong but I'm learning fast with the weapons. I think if I keep this up I'll actually be able to contribute."

"That's nice." He said and meant it, even if their relationship was still frosty at best. "I'm going to go heal myself."

He didn't wait for them to say anything else but he did hear them murmuring and giggling as he disappeared up the stairs and down the hall. He practically ran to his room and flung the door closed so that he could rummage for the cell phone in the drawer of his bedside table. Taking it out, he dialed a familiar number and then went about removing his boots with the phone wedged between his shoulder and ear.

"Hello sexy." Magnus' voice flowed easily over the line. "Nothing can be wrong this quick, can it?"

"Ha ha, no." Alec snickered. "I—I just—I'm sorry I didn't kiss you goodnight. I _wanted_ to but—"

"Alec it's fine. I'm not upset." Magnus replied lightly. "You can kiss me tonight in your dreams."

Stripping out of his pants, Alec turned on the lights in his room. "Where?"

Magnus' laugh was deep. "Anywhere you want, sweetheart." A beat. "You did great tonight by the way."

Alec slipped off his shirt, mindful of his slashes and sat on the edge of his bed. "Yes but it wasn't a very powerful demon. Not like the one we faced at Clary's house."

Magnus tsked him. "Take the compliment for what it is, a _compliment._ I know things are hard for you sometimes so you should celebrate your accomplishments."

Sighing, Alec caught his reflection in the mirror and tried not to frown. His fingertips brushed over his inner thigh where two white dots were all that remained of where the vampires had fed on him…there at least. The others were fading just slowly. "You're right. Thank you." Pushing through the silence, he smiled. "Are you really going to a party?"

A horn blew and Magnus said, "I am. A friend of a fairy is throwing one and I'm going to make an appearance."

_That is the sort of thing I should be able to go to him with. What if he meets someone else?_ "Oh. Sounds like fun."

"I suppose. I'd rather be in bed watching movies with you though." Was Magnus' reply. "I'd always rather be with you."

Alec felt his heart flutter wildly in his chest. These days Magnus was the only one who could make it do that in a good way. "You—you could come by later. I might be asleep but I wouldn't mind if you woke me up. I…could leave the light on for you."

"I will do that then. I'll make sure to be quiet too."

"Thanks. I know this is fucked up and not fair, and I'll make it up to you somehow. I promise."

_"Alec_ relax. There is nothing to make up. You'll tell your friends about us when you're ready."

He would, he _so_ would. "You're important to me. You know that right?"

Magnus chuckled. "I do."

Fiddling with his stele, he pouted. "Okay I'll let you get ready for your party and everything. See you later."

"Later, angel."

The dial tone sounded and Alec hung up, smoothing a hand across his face. He got up and stood in front of the mirror as he slowly started burning on the healing rune, wincing only a little bit. Even though Magnus was half demon and a warlock it was possible he made Alec feel more normal than he had in a very long time. Because while their relationship had begun in violence and they sometimes hunted together, it wasn't about those things. It was about spending time together and making each other feel special.

And it was about helping each other heal.

There were things in Magnus' past that often made his expression turn cold but he never exactly brought them up. He liked to focus on the present and the future, and while Alec did too he still couldn't help but wonder about those dark things. Magnus was _so old_ and had survived all manner of things; who knew what he was keeping bottled up inside of him? But Alec guessed it was easier to coax others to talk than to talk yourself. That was how he felt whenever he had a nightmare about the vampires or absently wondered if he could take Simon out before anyone stopped him. Naturally he didn't _really_ wanna hurt Simon but sometimes the mind had odd thoughts.

Like sometimes he wondered if Magnus kept things from him because he wouldn't tell people about them. But then he would slap himself because Magnus wasn't petty and vindictive like that. His secrets were his own and it was his right to not share them until he was ready. Still it was hard not to think about the many lives of Magnus Bane compared to his one simple life. He got the feeling even being kidnapped by vampires and mauled by a demon were nothing compared to the things Magnus had probably been through.

Not to mention the people he'd most likely met.

_Has he known other Shadowhunters? Were they nice to him or did they treat him like an outcast? Perhaps the latter since he's not exactly fond of our kind._

_I'm the exception_.

When his arm was as good as new yet still tender to the touch, he put on his pajamas and stealthily made his way downstairs and into the kitchen. His stomach rumbled at the very thought of food so he peered into the fridge, pulling out a box of leftover pizza to heat up a few slices. He was in his own little world, smiling as thoughts of Magnus drifted through his mind when someone cleared their throat behind him.

Thankfully he didn't jump. "Did you want some?"

Jace leaned against the door frame, arms folded over his chest. "Sure."

Taking two old, slightly cracked plates out of the cabinet, Alec transferred food to both of them. "So…is Clary's training really going well or are you just letting her _think_ it's going well?"

His friend smiled. "No actually she's doing pretty good. She has an innate ability inside of her especially when it comes to runes. She just needs to build up her stamina for the fighting aspects. And stop hitting herself in the legs with the staff."

The image made Alec laugh. "Well you're a good teacher so I'm sure she'll be kicking ass in no time."

Jace strolled over to the kitchen table and sat down. "I hope so. She needs to know how to protect herself."

Alec nodded. "True." He watched the microwave plate go around and around.

"What kinda demon did you and Magnus kill?" Jace inquired innocently enough. "To do _that_ to your arm I mean…"

"Um some lower level thing with claws." Alec explained. "Slow and dumb. I—I was able to defeat it myself."

"That's great." There was not a hint of taunting in his voice. "You know Magnus is a lot cooler than we gave him credit for I think. He's not like other Downworlders."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know. He has substance. And he's willing to help us so…"

"He helps us because it's the right thing to do." The microwave beeped and Alec took the food out.

Jace arched a brow. "He helps us because of Iyou/I. He says it. A lot."

Biting the inside of his cheek, Alec hunched his shoulders nonchalantly. "We're friends. Friends help each other."

Taking his pizza and adding powdered cheese, Jace snickered. "Yeah, they do."

Alec knew he wasn't being one hundred percent subtle when it came to his feelings for Magnus no matter how hard he tried to tape them down. Isabelle had once told him when they were younger she could usually tell what he was thinking because he never quite managed to school his face to hide his emotions in time. He liked to think he'd gotten better at that but he hadn't exactly been slick hiding his dislike for Clary. And he'd been interested in Magnus from the moment they met though it hadn't even been totally clear to _him_ at the time.

Either way it was possible Isabelle knew all about him. Jace? Well Jace kept things close to the vest—his secrets and those of others—so it was really a tossup with him. Clary on the other hand had pegged him from day one.

Slipping two drinks out of the fridge, Alec sat down across from his best friend. "Why do you think he said he didn't like Shadowhunters back at his party?"

Ice blue eyes meet his darker ones. "Probably because he's a Downworlder and our kind don't have the best track record with Downworlders in general. We _do_ tend to kill his kind."

Alec frowned. "Magnus isn't like the others and I don't think he ever was. But I guess some bad experiences made him cagey about trusting us."

Jace ate. "Probably. He trusts you though…and he's right to."

Ducking his head, Alec smiled. "I trust him too." When Jace didn't say anything else, he glanced up to find his _parabatai_ simply staring at him with a contemplative expression. "What?"

"Nothing." Which was a lie of course. "I'm just happy to see you smiling again."

That made Alec blush deeply and suddenly he remembered why he'd fallen for his best friend in the first place, besides the obvious. Yet it didn't cause the same erratic thumping of his heart that it used to. Still it was nice to know he was cared for. "Heh."

The rest of their brief meal was ate talking about nothing of substance and laughing—albeit good naturedly—about the many times Clary fell on her ass during training. As much as it pained him Alec suggested perhaps he should take a turn trying to help her since his fighting style was a bit different. If she wanted of course. Jace assured him that she would and Alec promised not to take it easy on her. He wouldn't hurt her of course but he also wouldn't make allowances for her. She wanted to be one of them so he would treat her like one.

It occurred to him however that they hadn't talked much about Clary being his sister or possibly as Jace liked to say. It was the giant elephant in the room everyone tried to pretend didn't exist so that things could be _normal._ So that Jace and Clary could still hang out without it being awkward except it naturally was. They should probably spend _less_ time together but they were both stubborn people determined to keep their emotions in check.

And then there was _whatever_ was going on between Isabelle and Simon. His sister was going out of her way to help him now that he had fully transition into a vampire, and that meant teaching him the ropes and the rules of being one. No feeding on humans for starters, what could hurt him and where to get bottled blood were just a few things at the top of her list for him. He wasn't directly involved but he kept as up to date as he could.

Tried not to be worried because Isabelle was smart and she could take care of himself…and he didn't honestly believe Simon would ever hurt her.

Anyway after they were done eating they spent a little more time just hanging out before Jace disappeared to do _Jace things_ and Alec returned to his room. He stretched out on his bed and stared at the ceiling, eyelids getting heavier and heavier. Before he knew it he was sleeping peacefully.

It was hours later when he felt fingers in his thick hair, gently coaxing him out of unconsciousness. He mumbled something incoherently; face smashed against his pillow and slowly opened his eyes to see Magnus perched on the side of his bed, his bangs blue to match his lips. And yet he still looked totally amazing.

"Hey." He said sleepily. "What time is it?"

"Almost four." Magnus whispered, fingers steadily combing.

"Oh. Did you have fun at your party?" Alec dug the sleep out of his eyes.

"It was an interesting time." The warlock mused. "The usual."

"You look good." Alec felt dopey and happy, lifting up onto his elbows. "I like the lipstick."

Magnus chuckled. "Cool. Good thing I didn't go home and change first. So, it seemed like you were having good dreams."

_Was I?_ "Hm yeah. I think it was something dumb but at least it didn't make me scream myself awake." He stretched his arm out with a loud yawn, clicking on the lamp on his table. "Um I, well I had a nice conversation with Jace earlier."

Magnus arched a brow. "What did you talk about?"

Alec wet his lips. "You…and how he's glad I have another friend for the most part. I wanted to ask if he knows about us but I couldn't bring myself to. Not yet anyway. But he likes you."

The warlock pulled at the knot of his silver necktie and it was only then Alec realized he was wearing a blazer but shirtless. "Well I'm happy to have his approval I guess. In whatever capacity he gives it."

"I'm gonna help him train Clary."

"That's nice of you."

"Eh let's hope she's a fast learner."

"I think she is. Her mind is strong, that's why she needed my treatments frequently."

_Right…_ "Right you've known her basically all her life. Is that weird for you? I mean to like see her how she is now?"

Magnus shook his head. "Not really. I'm happy she survived. She was a cute kid."

That made Alec smile. _"You_ like kids?"

His boyfriend grinned softly. "I do. I'm not around them often but I like them."

Alec's next question was asked very slowly. "You don't…have any…do you?"

For a moment Magnus looked sad but he wiped it away seconds later. "No. Warlocks can't have children."

The admission made something tight squeeze in Alec's chest and before he realized what he was doing, he was wrapping his arms around Magnus' neck and hugging him. Since he was still young he hadn't given much thought to children but he'd always figured the option was there, even if it was all clinical since being with a woman sexually was out of the question. But it had to suck knowing something like that wasn't even on the table.

"I'm sorry." He replied. There was guilt however over being just the tiny bit excited at learning something new about Magnus.

Magnus snuggled against him; he smelled like sandalwood and incense. "Not your fault. Besides it's just one more thing I've had several lifetimes to make peace with. Anyway…" He kissed Alec's cheek. "I should let you get some rest, and I should go home and shower."

Alec pouted. "But you just got here. You can shower here. We _have_ showers."

Magnus laughed. "And risk someone walking in and seeing me naked? I need to feed my cat anyway. And I will see you tomorrow I am sure." He dipped in and captured Alec's mouth in a heated kiss, smudging it slightly blue. "Sweet dreams."

Alec swallowed thickly. "Sweet dreams."

* * *

Standing at his large windows the next night, Magnus waved a hand and the thick curtains parted, retreating to their designated corners to let in the twinkling lights of the city. The dark sky was cloudy but he could just see the moon trying to pick out. He thought about giving it a little help but decided there was no need to show off. Alec already knew—more or less—what he was capable of.

With his long legs tucked under him where he sat on the couch, Alec cleared his throat. He'd arrived a little after dark with a reddish bruise on the side of his face, courtesy of his first day of attempting to teach Clary to fight. Apparently while she didn't know all of the fancier moves she knew the basics; that fists were for throwing and had caught him off guard. It wasn't bad but you could tell he'd been punched.

Alec had seemed contemplative all evening however, like he had something on his mind. From the looks of it he was finally going to bring it up. "Magnus. Have you known many other Shadowhunters? Besides us I mean."

Magnus kept his back to him as familiar yet long dead—some, anyway— faces flashed before his eyes. Oh yeah he had known other Shadowhunters and had even considered some to be his friends. Of course he tried not to let his bad encounters with the less than friendly ones ruin how he saw them, it was difficult considering some of the ways they'd treated him throughout the years. Like because there was demon blood running through his veins he was automatically _less_ than them. Not all Shadowhunters could be trusted so he'd stopped trusting them in general.

And then Alec had come along.

But Magnus could remember several adventures from a time when the world was just figuring out what it wanted to be, when women wore expensive ball gowns and horse drawn carriages littered the streets. The head vampire of London at the time—Alexei de Quincey—had been allegedly violating some Shadowhunter Law and he'd helped Tessa Gray and Will Herondale infiltrate his party pretending to be their guide. As usual something that was supposed to be easy did not end up that way, but that might as well be the Shadowhunter motto.

"I knew a few." He finally said. He realized he was being vague but he had no real desire to go digging in his past. The present was so much better.

Alec watched him. "Care to be more specific?"

Plastering on a smile, Magnus looked at him. "Nope. It was a long time ago so it doesn't matter. The only Shadowhunter I am interested in knowing now is you."

Alec's brows narrowed into a small frown. "I just—I'm just curious as to how you guys got along. What made you turn on them?"

Magnus sighed and strolled over to the couch so he could tip up Alec's chin. "I didn't _turn_ on them. Believe it or not sweetheart but not everyone is as nice to Downworlders as you and yours. You know that, right? Some of the older people don't trust _any_ of us no matter our species. I've dealt with prejudice in my entire life and it's made me…jaded."

"You don't seem jaded to me." Shifting onto his knees so that they were more level, Alec kissed his cheek. "Unless you're a good actor…"

"Not really." Magnus grabbed his hips, giving them a squeeze. "If you're worried about me suddenly not wanting you around then don't be. You're always the exception."

It was obvious Alec wanted to ask more questions and perhaps delve deeper so Magnus distracted him by placing soft kisses along the side of his pale neck. His wounds were healed and steadily fading, his treatments no longer needed. He still wasn't too fond of cold hands and teeth though unless he knew they were coming.

Alec's eyes closed. "I—I can't stay too late. Isabelle wants…to watch movies or something."

Magnus groaned unhappily. "I wanted you to spend the night. My bed isn't the same without you in it."

The Shadowhunter chuckled. "It's so big how can you tell when I'm not there?"

Magnus snickered. "For starters there is no one stealing the covers." His lips brushed over the bruise. "Sore?"

Alec shook his head. "Not really." Pause. "Maybe I could…sneak back over after the movie is done."

"I'll make it worth your while." Magnus purred into his ear, smirking when he laughed.

Before Alec could reply someone rapped at the front door and Magnus huffed, glaring daggers towards it. Reluctantly he trudged over to it and pulled it open because whoever had gained access to his apartment was obviously someone his doorman felt was important. He expected Jace or perhaps Clary and yet the person who waltzed in without being invited was neither.

"Magnus darling." She said grinning, lips ruby red. "Long time no see."

Magnus could hardly believe his own eyes. He wanted to pinch himself to make sure that he wasn't dreaming. Though perhaps having a nightmare would be more appropriate. Out of all the people he'd encountered in his long life and _never_ wanted to see again, Camille Belcourt was easily in the top five.

"Magnus?" Alec popped from around the corner, expression curious. "Is everything okay?"

Camille took one look at Alec and her sharp green eyes practically glowed with mischief.

_Oh, fuck._


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three

The young woman standing in the foyer of Magnus' apartment was _gorgeous_ for lack of a better word but Alec knew right away that she was a vampire. There was a distinct paleness to her skin that almost made her glow and the presence of tiny blue veins at her temples hidden by her cascade of silvery blonde hair. She was dressed in expensive clothes and bright red lipstick, currently looking at him like he was about to be her new favorite toy. Beautiful or not though she was still a vampire and he was immediately on edge, wishing he hadn't left his dagger with his coat on Magnus' couch.

However he told himself to calm down and forced his hands to unclench. He was safe here; Magnus would never let anything happen to him. But that also begged the question _why_ was Magnus being visited by a vampire? Most were sort of sketchy around him now ever since he'd hooked up with a Shadowhunter and killed several of them to rescue him. Perhaps this girl wasn't one of them.

Alec didn't like it. The only vampire he could ever be civil with was Simon and even that wasn't easy.

The blonde removed her pretty shawl and tossed it over the head of a gray statue. "My my, what do we have here? Magnus I'd heard the rumors but I didn't think they were actually true. But I suppose now that I have seen your new flavor I can understand the appeal. He _is_ a pretty one, isn't he?"

Alec frowned. "Excuse me?"

She pouted. "Oh not very bright though."

Before he'd wanted to attack her because she was a vampire. Now he wanted to punch her because she was a bitch. "Magnus _who_ is this and why isn't she leaving?"

Magnus sighed deeply. "Alec this is Camille Belcourt. She is…an old acquaintance of mine. _Very_ old."

Camille laughed. "Ooh still super bitchy but it's okay I forgive you. I could never stay mad at you." Looking around, she tilted her head to the side. "Isn't it customary to offer your guest a drink?"

Magnus rolled his eyes. "You're not a guest because I would never invite you here. _Why_ are you here? We haven't seen each other in decades and we didn't exactly leave things on a friendly level."

Camille bit her bottom lip and fluttered her long lashes. "You're right. I acted irrationally but can you blame me? Things were tense and I just needed some time to myself. It was survival of the fittest back then. I always assumed we'd meet before now and everything would go back to normal after I explained my side of the situation."

The warlock snorted. "Yeah, okay." He ran a hand through his silky black hair. "Well it was nice of you to stop by but as you can see I have company."

She chuckled. "Yes I can _see_ that." Her green eyes lit up as they tracked back to Alec, tracing over the runes that she could see. "A Shadowhunter. A _young_ Shadowhunter. Are you having a mid life crisis of some type?"

The way she said _Shadowhunter_ couldn't help but pique Alec's interest and while he was loathe to follow up, he couldn't stop himself. "What does me being a Shadowhunter have to do with anything?"

Camille blinked at him serenely. "Oh nothing, darling. It's just that Magnus apparently has a _thing_ for Shadowhunters. Especially young pretty ones." When Alec failed to hide his surprise, she smirked. "As a matter of fact you are almost the _spitting_ image of Will."

Magnus grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him. "Is this why you are here? You heard I was happy and you just had to come screw it up?"

She frowned. "Of course not. I am here because I missed you and wanted to see you."

He snorted. "That my dear is a load of bullshit. Missing me implies feelings and we both know you are as cold as they come."

Alec listened to them snipe back and forth, his mind replaying the name _Will_ on a loop over and over again. He put a pin in it for later and decided to just jump into the conversation. "Should I leave you two alone?"

Magnus shook his head. "No. Camille was just leaving."

Camille didn't appear to be leaving at all. "Now why would I do a thing like that? I want to get to know your new paramour." She squinted at Alec. "There is so much Will in you. You could be twins I think. I can see why Magnus likes you so much."

Getting increasingly numb, Alec glanced at Magnus who looked a cross between livid and apologetic. "Who's Will?"

"Ooh so you haven't told him. Oops." Camille hissed. "No worries about Will, honey. I'm sure it has nothing to do with you. Actually though I'm not here to talk about Will. I'm _here_ to see you, Magnus. Like I said I missed you."

"And I said I don't believe that." Magnus snapped. "You could have found me before now and you didn't."

"I've been extremely busy." She pressed her lips together. "I guess I thought you'd never find someone else. Not someone that you'd make such a fuss about. Or at least someone we could share."

"Share?" Alec felt his hackles rise. "You even try to bite me and I'll cave your skull in."

"Of course. That is all Shadowhunters know how to do." She sneered. " Serial killers the lot of you, hiding behind some skewed type of faith. Apparently you're only good for killing or getting on your knees."

Flustered, Alec made a fist. "_Excuse me_?"

Magnus's expression had gone from annoyed to cold in a way Alec had never seen before. It was un-nerving to be honest. "Camille, I'm warning you."

The vampire winked. "I'm not going to eat your plaything. He wouldn't fill me up anyway, not like _you_ used to do."

Alec inhaled sharply. "You—you two…?"

Camille gazed at him. "Were madly in love with a passion that could burn the world down? Yes. Naturally."

The news that Magnus had once been with this woman—this vampire—in a no doubt sexual relationship hit Alec like a punch to the gut. It was so naïve to say but he'd never exactly thought about the people that had come before him. Or perhaps it was just that he hadn't wanted to think about it. But while he figured there were others he had _never_ in a million years even entertained the notion that one would have been a vampire. Suddenly he felt as if he'd been gravely betrayed. As if his best friend in the world had been lying to him and talking about him behind his back.

He couldn't stop the shock and devastation from playing across his handsome face. He knew the moment Camille saw it because she gave him a secret smile and although it was obvious, he saw the ugliness that she held inside shining brightly outward. She was a vampire but she was an even bigger monster. And he knew, he _knew_ she wanted him to reacted badly and that he shouldn't because this was all before he was even born but he couldn't stop himself. He stalked around the corner and all but ripped his jacket off the couch, yanking it on with jerky tense movements.

And then he was heading towards the front door as fast as he could without actually running.

Alec was almost at the elevator when a hot hand latched onto his wrist, pulling him to a stop. "Let me go."

Magnus didn't. "Alec, you can't let Camille get into your head this way. It's what she wants. Chaos is what she lives on just as much as blood."

Alec shook his head. "How could you not tell me that you _dated_ a vampire? You—after what they did to me."

The warlock wet his lips. "Sweetheart it's not something that I was actively hiding from you. It honestly never crossed my mind and it was _ages_ ago. When I'm with you I'm not thinking about anyone else, past or present."

"You should have told me." Alec whispered. "What if—what if she was there? What if she fed on me?"

"Never. I would have known." Magnus replied. "In fact she would be gloating about it right now."

_That makes sense and yet…_ "I can't believe you were with a vampire. Were their demons too? Werewolves? In any case I'm sure they were all way more experienced than I am. Just some stupid human."

Magnus ducked around in front of him. "Alec you are _not_ some stupid human. I know we haven't been together long but you—you mean everything to me. If everyone else were the stars in the sky, you'd be my moon."

When his eyes started to fill with tears he couldn't help but feel weak. He blinked rapidly to keep them from falling. "And what would Will be?" Magnus opened his mouth to answer but Alec didn't want to hear him. "No just, stop. I—I can't do this." He jerked his arm free and focused on his shoes so that he wouldn't see the hurt on Magnus' face. "I'll call you."

Of course Magnus called out to him as he broke for the stairs, elevator be damned, but he didn't stop. He took them two at a time until he was outside of the building and running down the street. He bumped into several people but he didn't care; he felt like an idiot and a part of him wanted to go back to Magnus' and apologize. But he didn't. He _couldn't._ Maybe he was wrong but there was a bit that was right too. Magnus should have told him about Camille and he definitely should have told him about this Will.

_Am I just a replacement for him? A poor facsimile?_

By the time Alec reached the _Institute_ his stomach was twisted into knots and he felt more alone than he ever had in his entire life. What was supposed to be a promising night curled up with his boyfriend had turned into a nightmare. All of the things he'd been working so hard to put behind him came rushing back; phantom scars now healed throbbed with a pain that wasn't there. He couldn't shake the nagging voice in the back of his mind wondering if Camille had ordered him be taken. Vampires lied. All Downworlders did.

Unfortunately that was now even true of Magnus Bane.

With his own flaws aside at not being able to be truthful to the people in his life about his sexuality, for the first time in months Alec thought maybe he and Magnus weren't on the same page after all. Maybe what he'd assumed was the beginnings of a long lasting relationship were nothing more than a fling to the warlock. It didn't _feel_ that way but he couldn't deny facts. Magnus hoarded details about his past with greedy clutching hands. How were they supposed to be together when one half wanted to remain a blank slate?

Once inside the _Institute_ he turned towards the marble staircase, his boots feeling like they were weighed down with cement. He dragged them the best he could, heading begrudglingly to his quiet room where he would probably end up crying into his pillow like a moron. Crying over a boy—his father would be _oh_ so proud.

"Alec?" It was Isabelle. She stood leaning half out of her room, her long dark hair in a perfect braid. "What's wrong?"

Swallowing hard, he tried for a smile and failed. "Nothing. I—oh. We were supposed to watch movies tonight. Can I uh, can I get a rain check? I don't really feel too good."

Her gaze was speculative and just a little bit knowing. "Sure that's fine. But…you know you can talk to me about anything, right? I don't judge."

Alec wasn't the type to go running to his family when it came to his problems, but he suddenly wanted his sister to comfort him more than he wanted anything else. He wanted to tell her about the horrible night he'd had and listen to her words of reason on the subject. Unlike himself Isabelle had been in several relationships before so she wasn't a complete novice. But he couldn't tell her that Magnus had broken his heart. It would be admitting that he was in a relationship with him—that he was gay—and even though she probably suspected he wasn't ready to say it out loud.

Was there really a point now?

"I…" Trailing off, he opened his bedroom door and motioned inside. "Come on in."

Isabelle did so, perching on the edge of his bed afterwards. "What's wrong?"

Biting the inside of his cheek hard enough to nearly draw blood, he slowly pulled a pillow into his lap. "Clary and Jace were falling for each other before the revelation that they were related. They seem to be doing okay now but you can't just turn it off, can't you? Not even when you get horrible news."

His sister tilted her head to the side. "No you can't. Well some people can but I suppose those are the ones that were never in deep to begin with. The rest of us just have to hope things get better."

_That is so depressing. Was Magnus not in deep?_ "Yeah." Pause. "How—how did you know when it was over with your boyfriends?"

Isabelle's brows arched towards her hairline. "Alec." Pressing her lips together, she changed whatever she was going to say. "I haven't always had the best track record with boys, as you well know. The reasons why I liked them were childish or purely physical. It was fun and I even really liked some but there was no real spark. Nothing that would last and after a while they just sort of puttered out."

"I get that." He tucked strands of dark hair behind his ear. "Nothing can last forever."

She reached over and squeezed his wrist. "For immortals it can but even then it all depends on the people. Love can be stupid and make you feel so dumb but it can also be wonderful. There is always pain eventually but sometimes it's worth it."

_But when do you know it's worth it? Or how do you know?_ "And sometimes it's not, right? Sometimes you have to give up and cut your losses."

Nodding, she smoothed a hand across the runes on her arm. "Right. However and I say this generally, you're a very smart guy Alec. The only reason I worry about you is because you are always putting others before yourself. Emotionally though you're probably stronger than Jace and I combined."

Alec blushed but he wasn't certain he believed that to be true. He often felt like an emotional wreck inside depending on what was going on. He just never told anyone because why burden them with his issues? "Thanks."

"It's the truth. And I think you'll know deep down _if…something_ is worth fighting for." She smiled. "You always do."

When it came to being a decent person, yes. When it came to relationships and matters of the heart? Well he was just as blind as everyone else. Perhaps even more so.

Not only had he hurt Magnus' feelings and possibly accidentally ended their relationship, but he had also left him with _her._ And he had a feeling that was exactly what she'd wanted all along.

* * *

Magnus wasn't sure why he expected Camille to leave after Alec's riveting exit but he felt like he should have known better. He'd returned to his apartment to find her curled up on the sofa like a big deadly cat, sharp nails raking back and forth across the cushions. She looked extraordinary and yet the only thing he wanted to do to her was choke her. Wrap his hands around her neck and squeeze until whatever magic kept her alive was snuffed out. It infuriated him to know she was most likely getting some type of pleasure from this entire situation.

If she had destroyed things with Alec beyond repair…

"Why are you still here?" He asked, not beating around the bush. "You're not welcomed here."

She waved a hand. "Upset that I ran off your little fuck toy? Honestly he needs to get thicker skin if he plans to play with the big boys." She chuckled. "I did you a favor, really."

Magnus' jaw clenched so tightly it started to ache. "A favor? How is fucking up my relationship doing me a favor? Oh no _darling_ the only thing you are doing is amusing yourself with my pain like you've always done. I was an idiot to ever think you cared for me—truly cared. I was nothing more than a distraction and when you got bored you did what you do best. You ran."

Camille swung her feet to the floor. "That is not true. Yes I left but what is a century apart when you're immortal? One year or a hundred I knew we would meet again and things would be as they were."

He couldn't decide if she actually believed her own bullshit but he had a feeling she did. "Then you're a fool. That you could treat me like trash and then just come back and I would welcome you with open arms? Even if I wasn't with Alec I still wouldn't want you. If nothing else the years have taught me what I am worth."

She growled impatiently. "Alright. What are you worth to that child, Magnus? The one who sniffled so prettily before running away as if from a schoolyard bully." She rolled her green eyes dramatically. "He reeked of innocence so loudly that it was almost choking me. Is that it? You want to _teach_ him? Guide him? Wouldn't you rather be with someone out of puberty?"

His first response was to bite back and defend Alec's honor, but he refused to get rattled. That was what she wanted. "So you're jealous then." It wasn't a question. "Eternally young and yet I bet the boys don't clamor after you like they used to. No doubt they see you for what you really are."

The vampire released a shuddered gasp. "You didn't used to be so cruel."

Magnus stared at her. "I wish I could say the about you."

Scowling, she pointed an elegant finger at him. "Don't blame me for the secrets _you_ kept. How was I supposed to know you hadn't told him about me _or_ about Will Herondale? Perhaps you should ask yourself why that is."

Magnus folded his arms over his chest. "I don't hide my past I simply wish to leave it where it is. I want to move forward with Alec. I want to plan a future with him, not dwell on things that I can't change."

Camille grinned deviously. "Right. Your new Shadowhunter looks an awful lot like Will. It must be luck to find a doppelganger so many years later that you can slide into without any unnecessary complications."

_Don't give her the satisfaction of seeing how she is affecting you. Stay calm_. "Did you have anything to do with his kidnapping? Hm no I suppose you wouldn't seeing as how Raphael is leading the vampires, not you. Which begs the question why are you even in the city? Are you planning an ill advised coup?"

Rage bubbled beneath her composed demeanor and it was a pleasure to see. "Raphael has simply been holding down the fort for _me_ while I had other business to attend to. And while no I didn't feed on your human I heard about it and all it said to me was that Raphael has been doing a terrible job keeping others in line. Eat the mortals if they must but don't start a war for no apparent reason."

The warlock hummed thoughtfully. "I'd think Valentine resurfacing was a good enough reason…for them anyway."

Camille appeared aloof but he knew her mind was silently working. "Valentine might as well be a Downworlder with how he's treated his own kind. Why would he attack us—any of us—when the Clave is his main threat? No." Standing, she smoothed down her silky blouse. "If Downworlders should be afraid of anyone it should be you. Slaughtering my children for your little Nephilim."

Magnus' smile was sharp like a knife's edge. "They touched something that didn't belong to them. I showed them the error of their ways."

She snorted. "Tell me something love; do you fawn after Nephilim because you're half demon? Does that dirty dark part of you made of brimstone and heat hunger for angel flesh? I'll admit you have excellent taste. But doesn't their sanctimonious drivel get boring after a while? No matter what you do for them you'll always be a demon. A filthy half breed."

Her words settled like rusty stones in the pit of his stomach. He knew how other Shadowhunters and their ilk perceived him, no matter that he'd helped save the city and one of their own. It didn't matter though because the blood that flowed through his veins wasn't pure and that was all they would ever see. _But not Alec. Never Ale_c.

"I am what I am." Magnus replied slowly. "And I have had several centuries to come to terms with it. I don't need the world to care about me, just the chosen few I've let into my life. Besides for someone suddenly for _Downworlder allegiances_ you're quick to sell out anyone to save your own skin."

Playing with the ends of her lovely hair, Camille sighed dejectedly. "Not you. I would never do anything to hurt you."

_Laughable._ "Old as I may be I do not have amnesia. You left without so much as a word to me, only to turn up now and chase away my boyfriend. Quite gleefully might I add. How is that not hurting me?"

The vampire did not have a snappy comeback for once. "I didn't know you were that serious about him. And _he_ needs to learn not to take things so seriously. Would you like me to apologize to him?"

"I'd like you to stay _far_ away from him. Forever."

"I can't promise that, darling. We might run into each other…that sort of thing is out of my hands."

"Of course it is."

"A little birdie told me he's a Lightwood. I can't decide if you're dating Clave royalty or slumming it."

"Anyone is a step up from you."

Camille laughed. "I missed you, Magnus. I really did." She moved closer, reaching out to take his hand. "We should go out and have some fun, just like we used to. I'm sure there is a party somewhere you know about."

There were several. "I don't want to go anywhere with you."

She blinked at him. "So you are going to just sit at home and wait for your Shadowhunter to call you? What if he doesn't? What if it's over?"

Pulling away from her, Magnus twitched and plucked up a silver case wedged between two books on his book shelf. He took out a thin blue cigarette and placed it between his lips, swiping a finger across the end to light it. "If it's over I'm going to have to hold you partly responsible." He took a long drag before blowing out a perfect smoke ring. "And react accordingly."

Camille's fingers flexed. "That sounds like a threat my love."

Magnus flicked ashes into the air. "I suppose it does." Stepping around her he headed to his bedroom. "You can show yourself out."

He didn't wait for her to say anything else because he wasn't going to listen anyway. He was tired of excuses and hurtful barbs disguised as playful banter. Once upon a time he had loved Camille and would have done anything for her, but it seemed like another life. A time when he was another person and thought the sun rose and set with the flutter of her lashes. Now he knew better. Now he knew her love—at least for him—had always been more hollow than anything else. Perhaps she just wasn't capable of real love and emotion.

In any case he didn't care if her feelings were _hurt_ or if she was a bit truthful in missing him. All he cared about was Alec. He wanted to call him. He wanted to step through a portal into his bedroom and kiss his beautiful face, apologize for Camille's horrible behavior. But that wouldn't solve anything and, well, he wasn't the clingy type. If Alec needed space to get his head on straight and to come to terms with the fact that he'd had other lovers, he would give that to him.

For a little while at least.

* * *

Demons were nothing if not creatures of habit so Alec wasn't surprised to hear another had taken to hanging around the goth club _Pandemonium._ It had been four days since he'd stormed out of Magnus' apartment. Four days of no contact with the warlock what so ever and he would be lying if he said he wasn't feeling the loss like a crater in the center of his chest. Yet he couldn't gather up the courage to call him. Well he couldn't gather up the courage to actually let the phone ring. He kept fearing that _she_ would answer the phone.

Anyway needless to say he hadn't been the easiest person to live with lately. It wasn't as bad as after his attack but he could tell his sullen and moody nature was annoying his friends. None of them came out and asked about Magnus—well except for Jace, who suggested he go hang out with him immediately after Alec had refused dessert—but it wasn't as if the reasons for his change in attitude weren't clear. If asked he would deny it with as straight a face as he could muster, but he doubted anyone would believe him.

Well they didn't have to believe him. Alec trusted those few friends and family he had inside the _Institute._ Hodge notwithstanding but he was gone more often than not that it was like he didn't even live there at all; he hadn't been seen in weeks. It was the topic they pretended didn't need discussing because of how it related to Valentine. It was odd however considering his so called curse.

The point—his morose moping was the reason they were at _Pandemonium_. Jace thought doing a bit of hunting would make him feel better. Stabbing something would help if he were angry but he was more anxious.

Was it right, not calling Magnus? Or had he driven him into the arms of that bitchy vampire?

What if he _had?_ What if the next time he saw Magnus he laughed in his face before kissing his new girlfriend passionately?

By the Angel he would be utterly devastated.

_Okay. After this I will call Magnus and let it actually ring this time._

The music inside of the club was loud and booming, the bass from the speakers vibrating through his body and shaking his bones. Strangely it was a bit toned down from the last time they'd been here, less people with piercings but more leather than normal. He discovered why a moment later when Isabelle whispered into his ear that there were more Downworlders inside. Not the dangerous kind but the ones that just wanted to dance and drink.

Usually the lights were pale blue as they washed over the crowd but this time they switched to a tinted purple. People were dancing to _Hexes_ by Bassnectar and Chino Moreno's voice was lazily crooning in time with the rhythm. Jace was down by the bar with Clary, using their excursion as a teaching thing which made sense. She would never learn without hands on direction. Isabelle was on the floor and draped in black, curving her body like the snake bracelet she wore to the music. She looked carefree to any that could see her—since they'd all adopted the rune to make themselves visible for Simon's sake—but he knew the truth. It was a ruse to lure out any demons that thought she was an attractive piece of meat.

And he was up on the balcony, shrouded in his hoodie like a stalker searching for the object of their affections. His seraph blades were tucked in his belt. He told himself that he had to focus or he could have another Abaddon situation on his hands. The last thing he wanted was to get impaled again, especially since this time he wasn't sure if Magnus would show up to save him.

Of course as worried as he was about leaving Magnus with Camille, he was also sort of touched that the warlock had respected his need for space. Though after having gotten said space he wished Magnus had barged his way in if just to prove that he wanted him. He knew he did but a stupid little voice in his head told him that Magnus didn't, not like he should. Not like he had probably wanted those that came before him.

_And why should he? You can't say he's your boyfriend out loud to anyone who matters to you. You're ashamed of him and he knows it_. Feels _it._ _Camille isn't ashamed of him. She'd gladly hang off his arm._

_You're an idiot. An idiot that will be forever alone_.

Huffing, he was leaning over the sturdy railing and staring down at the floor when a familiar body moving through the crowd caught his eye.

_Magnus._

The warlock was dressed in a dark suit that shimmered all over with silver glitter, his hair a dark metallic blue that caught the glow of the lights. His skin was golden and his eyes dark, the chains around his neck sparkling. He looked magnificent but Magnus tended to look magnificent in sweats and a tank top.

Alec felt his limbs lock up and he watched with a heavy gaze, dreading the moment that Camille stepped up beside him or took his hand. However when it didn't happen after ten minutes—fifteen minutes—he felt a tiny glimmer of hope swell in his chest. Not able to stand it anymore, he hurried down the stairs and pushed his way through the groups of people until he was close enough to touch Magnus' shoulder.

Slowly he did so and Magnus turned; his lips were pink and glossy.

Opening his mouth to say something, anything, he found himself mute. What did you say to the person you wanted most in the world when you'd walked out on them beforehand?

Magnus stared at him—gaze piercing—before nodding once. He slipped an arm around Alec's waist and pulled him close, molding their bodies together so tightly that not even a slither of light could get through. Slowly he began to sway them to the beat and Alec gulped because he _so_ wasn't a dancer. People could have been _watching_ and yet he couldn't have stopped even if he'd wanted to. Magnus' eyes were deep and black like a starless sky and drawing him in, hypnotizing him to just go with the flow.

So he did.

He grabbed Magnus' biceps and held on tight, hips rolling to the beat. The warlock's right hand dipped under the material of his shirt and he gasped as the heat of it seeped into his skin. He'd _missed_ that heat. His forehead dropped forward to thump against Magnus' chest and he felt lips brush his ear. For a while it was just them and their slow grind to the music.

Magnus smelled like sandalwood and sweet cigar ash. His scruff was ticklish but all Alec wanted to do was bury his face into his neck and inhale. Rub that scent and that heat all over him so that he would never be without it again. It was like an aphrodisiac and he could feel himself getting hard, his heartbeat ratcheting up louder and louder. Magnus made a subtle shift with his leg and Alec stifled a whimper as his thigh pushed against his growing erection. He couldn't help but rub up onto it, the pleasurable sensations it caused shooting down his spine and making him moan.

Reality came crashing back too soon however when someone hollered happily and Alec remembered his purpose for being in the club…and that his family was there also. He jerked away from Magnus as if burned, his eyes blue and wide and nervous. They darted around frantically for Jace or Isabelle; landing back on Magnus looked who eerily blank. He sighed visibly and turned to leave, and the panic that shot through Alec was cold and dreadful. He latched onto Magnus' wrist and yanked, tugging him away from prying eyes and into a storage closet.

"I'm sorry!" He yelled over the music, turning on the single light hanging from the ceiling.

Magnus snapped his fingers and suddenly it was deathly quiet. "Soundproof."

Alec's confusion lifted. "Oh. I. I'm sorry. For out there I—fuck. I'm sorry I didn't call."

"I'm not mad." Magnus replied softly. "You needed time to think, I get it."

"I didn't think about much except how much I wanted to be with you." Alec said honestly. "But she—she really messed with my head. It's like she knew just what to say; everything that's worried me."

"You should have come to me with your concerns. I don't know how to prove to you any harder that I don't think of you as some stupid human." Magnus leaned against the wall. "I suppose I'll just keep saying it until you believe it."

Wetting his lips, Alec cleared his throat. "Who is Will? I just wanna know. I need to know because it's been on my mind."

The warlock arched a brow. "Will was a Shadowhunter that I knew _years_ ago. And Camille was telling the truth for a change, he did look like you. But that is where the similarities end. You're like night and day. I never told you because like I said, I don't spend time thinking about my past. It happened and now I want to focus on the present and the future."

Alec nibbled on his bottom lip, eyes downcast. "Did you—were you two—"

Magnus tipped up his chin. "No."

Stupidly he felt relieved and he wasn't sure why. "But you and Camille…"

Magnus frowned moderately. "You knew going into this that I wasn't a virgin, Alec. I haven't spent my three hundred plus years alone."

_That's the problem_. "Why do you like me? I mean I get that you think I'm _pretty_ but is that the only reason? Camille is…a huge bitch but she's also worldly. It's obvious. And I—I'm not any of that. If I didn't fight demons I would be an extremely boring person. Jace is probably more your type than I am."

"I like you just the way you are. You might not have traveled the world or walk around using cockiness as a shield, but you're perfect." Magnus watched him. "You're a seventeen year old boy and I am utterly enchanted by you. I…" Pausing for a moment, he continued. "I haven't been with a human in a _very_ long time but I couldn't resist you. Perhaps I should have…"

Alec had never thought of it before but being wanted by such a powerful creature was intoxicating. He found himself drifting into Magnus' orbit. "I'm half human…but I can be on your level." _On Camille's leve_l.

The warlock blinked. "You're already on my level. Have I ever acted or said otherwise?"

_I can be better_. "There are things I—like why we haven't—" Blushing he decided the hell with it and kissed Magnus as deeply as he could, tasting strawberries.

He meant for it to be reassuring for the both of them but instead of keeping it gentle, they crashed together like clapping hands; Alec's back hitting the opposite wall hard. He gasped and his hard on came back with a vengeance, his fingers fumbling with the buttons on Magnus' shirt for a second before just ripping the two sides open.

It happened quickly; the explosion of lust and _need to touch_ that overcame them both. Alec's hoodie and shirt were thrown to the floor so that it was skin on skin. He ended up pinned to the wall with his legs wrapped around Magnus' lithe waist, their groins pushed together with Magnus just as hard as he was. The warlock pushed up as Alec ground down and it was delicious—the friction and the strength and the biting kisses they traded.

There wasn't a lot of finesse to their movements with things tumbling off the shelves the harder and faster their rutting against each other became but Alec didn't care. He was burning up inside and aching, wishing he had the courage to ask for more. To beg Magnus to fuck him right then and there. To rip off their pants and push deep inside of him until all he could moan was Magnus' name over and over again. He wanted to _feel_ it later, for hours, for days. Sore and used and satisfied.

"Magnus…" He panted. "Please. Not alone—someone might—fuck."

Alec didn't think he was anywhere near close to coming and yet when Magnus wedged a big hand between them to press against his dick, he screamed and saw stars as his orgasm was literally brought to the forefront and shoved over. He came so hard that he nearly blacked out with the force of it—the pleasure beating down on him so intense that he felt like he couldn't breathe. He was suspended; body arched and thighs squeezing Magnus so tight he vaguely worried that he was hurting him. His boxer-briefs were ruined and sticky, his head foggy and dizzy but he watched with hooded eyes as Magnus bucked up and shuddered through his own climax, biting the side of his neck and no doubt leaving a serious mark.

A few quiet moments passed where Magnus held them both up and they just floated in the afterglow, panting in the quiet of the room. And then the warlock slowly lowered him to the ground on shaky legs, tangling his fingers in his thick hair. "You okay?"

"Yes." Alec slurred, sounding drunk. "How—how did you do that?"

"Magic." Magnus grinned, the yellow of his eyes swallowing up the black.

"I…I still want you, Magnus. I do." Alec pressed a kiss to his collarbone.

"Say that again."

"I want you."

Magnus kissed his knuckles. "Then I'm yours."

The Shadowhunter beamed up at him. Magnus cared about him so much; he really needed to treat him better. "I'm sorry for how I reacted."

"Don't be. Camille was obviously baiting you. It's what she does." Magnus traced his runes thoughtfully. "I think she's going to be sticking around for a while. And for that _I_ am sorry."

"It's okay, not like you can control her." Alec huffed. "The important thing is that she tried to mess us up and it didn't work. But fair warning, if she gets my face again I can't be held responsible for what might happen. Even if she wasn't terrible she's a vampire—an old one—and I don't feel comfortable around her."

"I'm hoping you two avoid ever seeing each other again. My doorman has orders to _not_ let her up, not even if she's on fire. Especially if she's on fire." Magnus joked and Alec laughed. "But I'd say don't listen to her bullshit. She will try to make you feel small and insignificant and you are anything but, _Alexander._ You save the world. You're a hero."

He was blushing solid red. "I uh—I'm supposed to be hunting a demon tonight. What are you doing here?" It was a simple question, not an accusation.

Magnus picked Alec's shirt off the floor and handed it to him. "I know the pixie that is more or less hosting this mixed gathering. She threatened to turn my cat into a gerbil if I didn't at least put in an appearance for her."

Alec shook his head. "How come I hardly ever see your cat? Does he not like me?"

Magnus chuckled. "No he adores you actually he just has an active social life."

And just like that Alec felt like everything was going to be okay. He went with the urge to hug Magnus tight and snuggle into his strong arms, sighing happily. "Can I come by later tonight? It's okay if you don't want me to though."

The warlock snorted. "You're always welcome at my home. You know that." Pause. "Sometimes I think you say things just to drive me crazy. It usually works."

Smirking, Alec touched Magnus' chest, right over his heart. "If it helps the feeling is mutual." Reluctantly he moved away and slipped on his hoodie. He would have to duck into the men's room and clean up the best he could. Somehow asking Magnus to magic away his come stained underwear just didn't seem right. "I should be getting back to work though before Jace or Isabelle think I've been kidnapped. I'm glad we made up."

Magnus looked to the ruins of his shirt but didn't seem upset. "Couples fight, angel. It sucks but it usually leads to making up. And that was awesome."

_It really was_. "Heh okay I'll see you later." Heading for the door, Alec turned and pulled Magnus close for another kiss, licking into his mouth and biting his bottom lip before disappearing out the door with a giant grin on his face.

No one paid any attention when he slipped among the dancing bodies and while he'd had a wonderful time in the closet he was glad. He wanted to be the one to tell his parents, not some random nobody with a grudge against the Lightwoods.

"Alec!" Isabelle popped up in front of him. "Where have you been? Did you see the demon and go after him alone?"

Alec jerked in surprise. "No I…did a run of the place but didn't see any demons. You?"

She smiled. "No but Jace spotted something _weird_ about the bartender so he wants to get him alone. I'm about to lure him into the alley." Her eyes drifted past him. "Was that Magnus I just saw leaving?"

Alec shrugged. "Hm? Oh yeah. So, demon?"

Isabelle laughed. "Yes, demon…"

* * *

A few hours later after the demon was slain and Alec was freshly showered, he slipped out of the _Institute_ and began the trek to Magnus' apartment. His mind was delightfully light for the first time in almost a week. While things weren't completely fixed he chose to focus on the good parts. He cared about Magnus and wanted to be with him, and it would be silly to let some vampire come between them. They had serious issues in the mix; he didn't need to let her become another one.

He was about a block away from Magnus' home when he realized he was being followed. His first thought was to just keep walking and not engage, but the Shadowhunter in him told him to man up. He had his blades and he was strong, he didn't always need to be saved. Besides if he got any scrapes and bruises Magnus would fuss over him and he liked that.

Stopping in front of a small shop that had closed for the night, gate down, he swerved on his heels to face his would be stalker. "Why am I not surprised it's you?"

Camille tipped up her fancy wide brimmed hat and flashed bright white teeth at him. "You didn't think we were done, did you darling?"


End file.
